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Author Notes: I love fall's flavors ... especially roasted butternut squash. Combined with an orzo pasta and some microgreens -- your choice of watercress, arugula or any dark green, and you have the lushness of a roasted fall veggie with the lightness of a summer salad. I use fresh sage leaves when roasting the squash and a rich Maytag blue cheese to complement the dish, but you could sub a mild chevre or leave it off for a vegan side dish. This salad holds well and is as good at room temp as it is warm, or even cold from the fridge. If transporting, just add the cold blue cheese when ready to serve. - lorigoldsby

Serves 6 to 8

2pounds butternut squash, cut into bite-sized cubes

1/4pound orzo

2ounces Maytag blue cheese

1/4 cup oil (scant)

1bunch fresh sage leaves

Fresh cracked pepper and coarse kosher, sea, or alder salt

1bunch watercress, arugula, or any microgreen

1ounce roasted pepitas

If you didn't purchase the precut butternut squash, then peel and cube the squash. If you did purchase the precut squash, give it a good rinse and pat dry.

Drizzle the butternut squash with a good quality oil. Salt and pepper to taste. If you have some smoked salt (like alder), you can substitute a pinch of it for regular kosher salt.

Arrange clusters of sage on top of squash. Reserve 2 to 3 sage leaves. If you don't have fresh sage, you can substitute some dried "rubbed sage" -- sprinkle liberally like salt.

Bake at 450 F for 30 to 40 minutes (depending on your cube size) or until golden caramelization and deliciousness occurs.

Cook orzo according to package directions. At my farmer's market there is a vendor that sells an "autumn blend" of tricolor orzo. Boil in approximately 4 cups salted water for 15-17 minutes (normal orzo will probably take much less time -- check your package to be sure). Drain and chill.

Combine cooked butternut squash, pepitas, and orzo and toss. (The leftover oil in the roasting pan will serve as your "dressing" -- use leftover oil in pan to minimally coat orzo). Personally I don't think you need any acid (like lemon or vinegar) because of the "tang" of the blue cheese -- but if you are omitting the cheese, you may want to try a few splashes of a good balsamic vinegar.

Add crumbled blue cheese (or feta or chevre or omit cheese) and choice of greens. Add a few chiffonaded strips of fresh sage as a garnish.

Have made this a few times, but I must be doing something wrong with the squash as it burns before it cooks to anything approaching caramelization and the sage burns to a crisp as well. Convection oven is set to 375. Should I be covering this?

We made this salad tonight and loved it! We did make a few changes based on items we already had in the fridge. We used goat cheese instead of blue cheese, added some blanched haricots verts, added a small amount of dressing and topped with pomegranate seeds. Sooo good!

I think the kabocha pumpkin would contrast nicely with the savory blue cheese ( or other cheese available in your market). Good luck! Let us know how it works, and if you use any herbal notes other than sage/thyme.